1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices that aesthetically disperse visible light and, more particularly, to a device that displays a light pattern in the form of a spectrally-dispersed representation of an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is understood in the relevant art, the index of refraction for a given material is different for differing wavelengths of light. The aforementioned variation in the index of refraction causes the spectral dispersion that results from directing a multi-wavelength beam of visible light through a prism. A similar spectral dispersion process causes an aesthetically pleasing rainbow to naturally occur when a ray of sunlight passes through falling rain.
It is known that stained glass can be employed to transmit variously colored images therethrough with the use of colored or painted glass. The color patterns of such stained glass do not vary and do not employ reflection, refraction, or dispersion. As such, while stained glass possesses some aesthetic qualities, such aesthetic qualities are limited.
It is thus desired to provide a device that employs light dispersion to produce spectrally-dispersed images of visible light. It is also preferred that such a device be provided that displays spectrally-dispersed images that vary according to the perspective of the observer to the device.
In view of the foregoing, a spectral dispersion device includes a transmission member formed of a translucent material and formed with an image surface, a reflection surface, and a dispersion surface. The image surface includes an image that receives a ray of visible light therethrough and into the interior of the transmission member, with the ray of light being reflected off the reflection surface within the interior of the transmission member and being dispersed through the dispersion surface to display a light pattern in the form of a spectrally-dispersed representation of the image. The light pattern is visible from the exterior of the transmission member by an observer and varies according to the position of the observer with respect to the dispersion surface. The light-dispersive properties of the transmission member can be varied by altering the configuration of the transmission member and the material out of which it is made, as well as by varying the wavelengths of the ray of light and the light-absorbing properties and other properties of the transmission member.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a spectral dispersion device that produces a light pattern in the form of a spectrally-dispersed representation of an image.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a spectral dispersion device that displays a light pattern that is variable according to the position of an observer with respect to the device.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a spectral dispersion device that is itself aesthetically pleasing to an observer and that produces an aesthetically pleasing spectrally-dispersed light pattern that is visible from the exterior of the device.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a spectral dispersion device that is simple in construction and operation.
Another objective of the present device is to provide a spectral dispersion device that can be manufactured in different configurations to provide correspondingly different light images.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a spectral dispersion device, the general nature of which can be stated as including a transmission member having an interior and an exterior, an image surface, a reflection surface, and a dispersion surface, with the interior being translucent to a ray of light having at least two different wavelengths. The image surface includes an image, the reflection surface is oriented at a reflection angle with respect to the image surface, and the dispersion surface is oriented at a dispersion angle with respect to the image surface. The transmission member is structured to receive the ray of light through the image surface and allow it to pass into the interior of the transmission member, reflect the ray of light off the reflection surface within the interior, and disperse the ray of light through the dispersion surface from the interior of the transmission member to the exterior thereof to display a light pattern in the form of a spectrally-dispersed representation of the image that is visible from the exterior.